Garment with replaceable pocket

ABSTRACT

A garment has an outside surface with a first component of a hook and loop fastening system attached thereto. A pocket patch has an inside surface with a second component of the hook and loop fastening system attached thereto. The first and second components of the hook and loop fastening system are engaged to one another to secure the pocket patch to the garment to provide a patch pocket. The pocket patch is removable from the garment by disengaging the first and second components of the hook and loop securing system. The pocket patch or another pocket patch having an inside surface with the second component of the hook and loop fastening system attached thereto is attachable to the garment by engaging the first and second components of the hook and loop securing system with one another.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a garment provided with patch pocket wherein the patch is attached to an outer side of the garment in a removable and replaceable manner by a hook and loop fastener system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A pocket patch is normally attached to a surface of a garment with sewn stitches in a permanent manner. The appearance of a garment could be easily altered if a pocket patch could be easily removed and replaced with a pocket patch having a different visual appearance, but until now such an easy alteration to the appearance of a garment has not been available.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is provided in accordance with the present invention a garment having an outside surface that is assembled with a pocket patch. A first component of a hook and loop fastening system is fixed to the outside surface of the garment. A second component of a hook and loop fastening system is fixed to an inside surface of the pocket patch, the second component of the hook and loop fastening system being attached to the first component of the hook and loop fastening system to secure the pocket patch to the garment to provide a patch pocket. The pocket patch may be separated from the garment without damaging either the garment or the pocket patch, and another pocket patch provided with a second component of a hook and loop fastening system on an inside surface of the pocket patch may be attached to the outside surface of the garment to form a patch pocket. The pocket patches may have different colors or ornamental designs to alter the appearance of the garment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an exemplary garment of the present invention that is provided with a pocket patch attached to the garment using a hook and loop fastening system.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the exemplary garment of FIG. 1 with the pocket patch removed to show components of a hook and loop fastening system that is fixed to an outside surface of the garment.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the outside surface of a pocket patch that is not attached to a garment.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the inside surface of the pocket patch that is not fixed to a garment showing a component of a hook and loop fastening system that is attached to the inside surface of the pocket patch.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the outside of another pocket patch that is provided with ornamentation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring first to FIG. 1 there is shown is a plan view of an exemplary garment 10 of the present invention that is provided with a pocket patch 30 attached to the garment using a hook and loop fastening system. As used herein and in the claims the term “garment” is understood to mean an article of clothing for a person. While the exemplary garment shown in FIG. 1 is a T-shirt, it is to be understood that the present invention includes any suitable garment that may be provided with a patch pocket. As used herein and in the claims the term “patch pocket” is understood to mean a pocket patch attached to an outside surface of a garment for carrying things the pocket. As used herein and in the claims the term “pocket patch” is understood to mean a piece of material that may be attached to an outside surface of a garment to form a pocket. As used herein and in the claims an “outside surface” of a garment is understood to be a surface of a garment that is distal from the body of a person wearing the garment. The exemplary garment 10 is a T-shirt, which is typically a lightweight garment for covering the upper body of a wearer. The exemplary garment 10 has a torso portion 12, a neck opening for receiving the neck of a wearer, and a pair of sleeves 18, 20 for receiving the arms of a wearer. In the exemplary garment 10 an edge 26 of the torso portion is an opening provided with a seam 28 to prevent unraveling of the material of which the garment is formed. The neck opening 14 and sleeves 18, 20 are also provided with seams 14, 22, 24 to prevent unraveling of the material of which the garment is formed. A pocket patch 30 of the present invention may or may not be provided with a seam 32 at a top edge of the pocket patch. It is understood that the top edge of the pocket patch is not attached to the outside surface of the garment to allow the insertion and removal of items in the pocket formed by the pocket patch 30. As used herein and in the claims terms such as “top”, “bottom”, “higher” and “lower” are understood to refer to relative locations of a component of a garment when the garment is worn by a person in an intended manner.

Referring next to FIG. 2 there is shown a plan view of the exemplary garment 10 of FIG. 1 with the pocket patch removed to show first components 40, 42, 44, 46 of a hook and loop fastening system that is fixed to an outside surface of the garment. As used herein and in the claims the term “hook and loop fastening system” is understood to have the common meaning of a fastening system having two components: typically, two lineal fabric strips (or, alternatively, round “dots” or squares) which are attached (e.g., sewn, adhered, etc.) to the opposing surfaces to be fastened. One of the components features tiny hooks, and the other component features even smaller and “hairier” loops. When the two components are pressed together, the hooks catch in the loops and the two components fasten or bind temporarily during the time that they are pressed together. When separated, by pulling or peeling the two surfaces apart, the components make a distinctive “ripping” sound. Such a hook and loop fastening system is widely marketed as VELCRO®, which is a registered trademark of Velcro Industries B.V. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NETHERLANDS.

It is understood that while the exemplary garment has the first components of a hook and loop fastening system formed of a plurality of strips of the first component of a hook and loop fastening system, that it is within the scope of the present invention that the first component of the hook and loop fastening system could be a single piece of hook or loop material having an appropriate shape. The first components 40, 42, 44, 46 of a hook and loop fastening system may be fixed to an outside surface of the garment by any appropriate means including but not limited to sewing, an adhesive or heat staking. It is understood that the configuration of the first component, or components of a hook and loop fastening system attached to an outside surface a garment is at least substantially complementary to a configuration of one or more second components of a hook and look fastening system associated with a pocket patch in a manner described below with regards to FIGS. 3 and 4.

Referring next to FIG. 3 there is shown a plan view of the outside surface of an exemplary pocket patch 30 that is not attached to a garment. The pocket patch may comprise any suitable material including for example a textile, leather or vinyl material. The pocket patch may have any suitable shape, for example square, rectangular, pointed at the bottom, as shown, rounded at the bottom, and so forth. As already stated, the pocket patch may or may not be provided with a seam 32 at the top or along any other sides of the pocket patch at the discretion of a clothing designer.

Referring next to FIG. 4 there is shown a plan view of the inside surface of the pocket patch 30 that is not fixed to a garment showing second components 50, 52, 54, 56 of a hook and loop fastening system that attached to the inside surface of the pocket patch. The second components 50, 52, 54, 56 of a hook and loop fastening system may be fixed to an inside surface of the pocket patch by any appropriate means including but not limited to sewing, an adhesive or heat staking. It is understood that the configuration of the second component, or components of a hook and loop fastening system attached to inside surface of the pocket patch is at least substantially complementary to a configuration of one or more first components of a hook and look fastening system associated with a an outside surface of a garment. It is understood that while the exemplary pocket patch has the second components of a hook and loop fastening system formed of a plurality of strips of the second component of a hook and loop fastening system, that it is within the scope of the present invention that the second component of the hook and loop fastening system could be a single piece of hook or loop material having an appropriate shape.

The first component, or components, 40, 42, 44, 46 of a hook and loop fastening system that are attached to an outside surface of a garment may be either a loop component or a hook component, so long as the second component, or components, 50, 52, 54, 56 of a hook and loop fastening system that are attached to an inside surface of a pocket patch are not the same as those attached to the garment so the hook and loop fastening system will function properly when the pocket patch is pressed against the garment with the hook and loop components aligned with one another to provide a garment with a removable and replaceable patch pocket of the present invention.

Referring next to FIG. 5 there is shown a plan view of the outside surface of another exemplary pocket patch 30A that is provided with ornamentation 60. The pocket patch 30A may or may not be provided with a seam 32 A at the top or along any other sides of the pocket patch at the discretion of a clothing designer.

It is an advantage of the present invention that a person may purchase a garment that is provided with only either the hook or loop component of a hook and loop fastening system, or a garment that already has a pocket patch of the construction described above assembled therewith, or either of those variations as well as one or more pocket patches of the construction described above as a separate product. A person can alter his garment of the present invention by assembling any of a variety of pocket patches with varying appearances on the outside surface of the pocket patch at his or her discretion.

The present invention provides a garment assembly comprising: (a) a garment 10 having an outside surface having a first component 40, 42, 44, 46 of a hook and loop fastening system attached thereto; and (b) a pocket patch 30 having an inside surface with a second component 50, 52, 54, 56 of the hook and loop fastening system attached thereto. The first and second components of the hook and loop fastening system engage one another to secure the pocket patch to the garment to provide a patch pocket on the garment. The pocket patch is removable from the garment by disengaging the first and second components of the hook and loop securing system. The pocket patch or another pocket patch having an inside surface with the second component of the hook and loop fastening system attached thereto is attachable to the garment by engaging the first and second components of the hook and loop securing system with one another.

The present invention further provides a kit for making a garment with a customized appearance comprising: (a) a garment 10 having an outside surface having a first component 40, 42, 44, 46 of a hook and loop fastening system attached thereto; and (b) one or more pocket patches 30 each having an inside surface with a second component 50, 52, 54, 56 of the hook and loop fastening system attached thereto. The configuration of the first component of a hook and loop fastening system is complementary to the configuration of the second component of a hook and loop fastening system. The appearance of the garment is customized by selecting a pocket patch and attaching the pocket patch to the garment by engaging the first and second components of the hook and loop securing system with one another.

It will be seen that the advantages set forth above, and those made apparent from the foregoing description, are efficiently attained and since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall there between. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A garment assembly comprising: (a) a garment having an outside surface having a first component of a hook and loop fastening system attached thereto; and (b) a pocket patch having an inside surface with a second component of the hook and loop fastening system attached thereto; the first and second components of the hook and loop fastening system being engaged to one another to secure the pocket patch to the garment to provide a patch pocket on the garment whereby the pocket patch is removable from the garment by disengaging the first and second components of the hook and loop securing system and the pocket patch or another pocket patch having an inside surface with the second component of the hook and loop fastening system attached thereto is attachable to the garment by engaging the first and second components of the hook and loop securing system with one another.
 2. The garment of claim 1 wherein the garment is a T-shirt.
 3. The garment of claim 1 wherein the configuration of the first component of a hook and loop fastening system is complementary to the configuration of the second component of a hook and loop fastening system.
 4. The garment of claim 2 wherein the configuration of the first component of a hook and loop fastening system is complementary to the configuration of the second component of a hook and loop fastening system.
 5. A kit for making a garment with a customized appearance comprising: (a) a garment having an outside surface having a first component of a hook and loop fastening system attached thereto; and (b) one or more pocket patches each having an inside surface with a second component of the hook and loop fastening system attached thereto; the configuration of the first component of a hook and loop fastening system being complementary to the configuration of the second component of a hook and loop fastening system, the appearance of the garment being customized by selecting a pocket patch and attaching the pocket patch to the garment by engaging the first and second components of the hook and loop securing system with one another.
 6. The kit for making a garment with a customized appearance of claim 5 wherein the garment is a T-shirt. 